1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to control systems for controlling fabrication facilities. More particularly, the present invention relates to backup control systems for controlling multiple fabrication facilities.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the art of fabricating modern microelectronic fabrications, and in particular in the art of fabricating modern semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrications, there is typically employed a computer assisted production control routing system to route a plurality of microelectronic fabrication work in process (WIP) workload lots having a corresponding plurality of microelectronic fabrication routing requirements through a plurality of microelectronic fabrication tools positioned within a microelectronic fabrication facility. Such a computer assisted production control routing system may comprise, in part or in whole, a manufacturing execution system (MES) as employed within the microelectronic fabrication facility.
Similarly, it is also common in the art of microelectronic fabrication for microelectronic fabrication manufacturers to operate a plurality microelectronic fabrication facilities, geographically clustered and/or geographically dispersed, but often with at least partially overlapping microelectronic fabrication product sets fabricated within the plurality of microelectronic fabrication facilities while employing generally similar and/or at least partially overlapping microelectronic fabrication tool sets positioned within the plurality of microelectronic fabrication facilities.
Finally, it is also common in the art of microelectronic fabrication, but clearly not limited to the art of microelectronic fabrication, to experience a continuing need to optimize microelectronic fabrication facilities utilization when fabricating a plurality of microelectronic fabrication part numbers while employing a plurality of microelectronic fabrication routing requirements within a plurality of microelectronic fabrication facilities such as to reduce, in general, microelectronic fabrication production cost.
While such optimized microelectronic fabrication facilities utilization is clearly desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication, such optimized microelectronic fabrication facilities utilization is nonetheless not routinely readily achievable in the art of microelectronic fabrication insofar as it is often difficult to monitor and control a plurality of microelectronic fabrication facilities, each of which is otherwise generally intended to operate independently.
It is thus desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication to provide methods, apparatus and systems through which a plurality of microelectronic fabrication facilities may be monitored and controlled to operate with enhanced facilities utilization.
It is towards the foregoing object that the present invention is directed.
Various methods, apparatus and systems have been disclosed in the art of microelectronic fabrication for monitoring and controlling microelectronic fabrication facilities which are employed for fabricating microelectronic fabrications.
Included among the methods, apparatus and systems, but not limited among the methods, apparatus and systems are methods, apparatus and systems disclosed within: (1) Zvonar, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,535 (a method and an apparatus for monitoring, tracking and scheduling periodic activities, such as but not limited to periodic preventive maintenance (PM) activities, with respect to a plurality of microelectronic fabrication tools positioned within a microelectronic fabrication facility); (2) La et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,761,064 (a method and a system for monitoring and controlling semiconductor substrate defects within a semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication facility by collecting semiconductor substrate defect data from semiconductor substrate inspection instruments employed within the semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication facility, converting the data into a standard data format and then storing of the data within a central database system within the semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication facility where it may be made available for general review, analysis and evaluation within the semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication facility); and (3) Lin et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,386 (a method and a system for monitoring and controlling work in process (WIP) workload stored within a microelectronic fabrication facility by polling all of the work in process (WIP) workload stored within the microelectronic fabrication for identification information which is then stored in a central database within the microelectronic fabrication facility and is accessible to a plurality of programmable workstations within the microelectronic fabrication facility).
Desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication are additional methods, apparatus and systems through which a plurality of microelectronic fabrication facilities may be monitored and controlled to operate with enhanced facilities utilization.
It is towards the foregoing object that the present invention is directed.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a method for monitoring and controlling a plurality of microelectronic fabrication facilities and a system for monitoring and controlling the plurality of microelectronic fabrication facilities.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a method and a system in accord with the first object of the present invention, wherein the plurality of microelectronic fabrication facilities is monitored and controlled to operate with enhanced facilities utilization.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a method and a system in accord with the first object of the present invention and the second object of the present invention, wherein the method and the system are readily commercially implemented.
In accord with the objects of the present invention, there is provided by the present invention a method for operating a plurality of fabrication facilities and a system for operating the plurality of fabrication facilities.
To practice the method of the present invention, there is first provided a plurality of fabrication facilities, where each fabrication facility is controlled by a separate corresponding manufacturing execution system. There is also provided within each of the plurality of fabrication facilities, and connected with each of the separate corresponding manufacturing execution systems, a corresponding plurality of backup control systems, where each backup control system is connected with the remaining backup control systems within the remaining fabrication facilities within the plurality of fabrication facilities. Within the present invention, each backup control system is programmed to forward a request for fabrication in a remote fabrication facility within the plurality of fabrication facilities and receive a request for fabrication from a remote fabrication facility within the plurality of fabrication facilities. Similarly, within the method of the present invention, each of the backup control systems may also be programmed to monitor fabrication progress of a fabrication request with a remote fabrication facility within the plurality of fabrication facilities. Finally, within the method of the present invention there is then initiated through a backup control system within a fabrication facility within the plurality of fabrication facilities a request for fabrication within a remote fabrication facility within the plurality of fabrication facilities.
The method for monitoring and controlling the plurality of fabrication facilities in accord with the present invention contemplates the system for monitoring and controlling the plurality of fabrication facilities in accord with the present invention.
The present invention provides a method for monitoring and controlling a plurality of fabrication facilities and a system for monitoring and controlling the plurality of fabrication facilities, wherein the plurality of fabrication facilities is monitored and controlled to provide enhanced facilities utilization.
The present invention realizes the foregoing object by employing within the method of the present invention and the system of the present invention, and incorporated within each fabrication facility within a plurality of fabrication facilities, each fabrication facility otherwise having its own manufacturing execution system, a backup control system connected with each remaining backup control system within the plurality of fabrication facilities. Similarly, within the present invention, each backup control system within the plurality of backup control systems is programmed to forward a request for fabrication in a remote fabrication facility within the plurality of fabrication facilities, receive a request for fabrication from a remote fabrication facility within the plurality of fabrication facilities and preferably also monitor fabrication progress of a fabrication request within a remote fabrication facility within the plurality of fabrication facilities.
The method of the present invention and the system of the present invention are readily commercially implemented.
As will be illustrated in greater detail within the context of the Description of the Preferred Embodiment, as set forth below, the method of the present invention and the system of the present invention may be implemented employing components as are otherwise generally conventional in the art of microelectronic fabrication facility operation, but assembled and programmed in accord with the method and the present invention and the system of the present invention.
Since it is thus at least in part an assembly and programming of components which provides at least in part the present invention, rather than the existence of components which provides the present invention, the method of the present invention and the system of the present invention are readily commercially implemented.